Education Minnesota responds to TFA move by University of Minnesota

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Chris Williams
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ST. PAUL, Minn. Nov. 7, 2016 – Education Minnesota President Denise Specht released the following statement Monday in response to the University of Minnesota not renewing its contract with Teach for America:

"Minnesotans want a meaningful voice in meeting the challenges facing their local schools, which TFA and other groups with national agendas can't offer," Specht said. "For example, we've spent years working on ways to attract and retain highly qualified teachers and no one in any community meeting has said the solution is TFA-style training for young people who plan to leave after two years. However, there is support for local grown-your-own programs for moving existing educators toward licensure and for policies that reduce student loan debt for people who do the hard work to earn a Minnesota teaching license."

About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota is the voice for professional educators and students. Education Minnesota’s members include teachers and education support professionals in Minnesota’s public school districts, faculty members at Minnesota’s community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston, retired educators and student teachers. Education Minnesota is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO.